Four-time cross-country skiing relay world champion Eldar Roenning of Norway has announced his retirement from professional competition ©Getty Images

Four-time cross-country skiing relay world champion Eldar Roenning of Norway has announced his retirement from professional competition.

The 33-year-old, who won 4x10 kilometres gold at the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013, is keen to spend more time with his family and has undertaken a new career as a banker. 

"I have a well-functioning body, but I don’t have a body that would handle top level sport," he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

Roenning made his World Cup debut in Estonian town Otepää in 2003.

Two years later in Reit im Winkl in Germany, he celebrated his first World Cup podium and first victory at the same time. 

Eldar Roenning competed at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games
Eldar Roenning competed at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games ©Getty Images

As well as winning four relay global crowns, the two-time Olympian also won silver in the 15km classic at the 2011 World Championships in front of a home crowd in Oslo.

Roenning's one other medal won on the world stage was individual sprint classic bronze in Sapporo in 2007.

In 2012, he won the famous Holmenkollen 50km in Oslo.